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Beijing Travel Guide

Beijing Travel Guide

With traditional hutongs and temples a stone's throw
from immense skyscrapers, Beijing is a sprawling metropolis as
historically rich as it is alive with modernity.

China's capital city is a perennial favourite of tourists and
backpackers alike, as it has a wide range of sights, sounds,
smells, and tastes to offer. The city's unique cultural elements
are alive and well, and can be experienced first-hand in its
indigenous cuisine,
temples, and traditional performances. Beijing is nevertheless
up-to-date with the modern trends and fashions of the west, largely
a result of its ever-growing expat community.

Being a global hub of business, culture, and entertainment,
Beijing has an incredibly diverse nightlife that will keep even
the most demanding of socialites satisfied at all hours. Especially
during the summer months, areas like the Sanlitun bar street are
buzzing from dusk till dawn. Visitors hoping to lighten their
pockets will also have no shortage of shopping opportunities; from
bustling markets like Silk Street (Xiushuijie) to colossal shopping
malls like the 13-storey Xidan Joy Center, Beijing has it all.

China is a teeming medley of more than 50 officially recognised
ethnic minorities and Beijing, as the country's capital, is
suitably varied and representative. The city's many attractions are testament
to this, and visitors will find exploring everything fully a
near-impossible task.

Best time to visit Beijing

Beijing's climate is one of extremes. With hot, humid summers
and chilling, dry winters, travellers will find that spring and
autumn, April to May and September to October, respectively, are
the best times of year to visit. The weather during at these times
of year is pleasant, temperate, and highly conducive to
sight-seeing. Read more about Beijing's climate and
weather.

What to see in Beijing

-The breath-taking and historically poignant Tiananmen Square is
a must-see for those visiting Beijing.

-It is practically an obligation for travellers to journey out
of the city to see the Great Wall; tourists can stroll along the
historic landmark at a number of different locations.

-The Beijing National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest
during the 2008 Olympics, is a spectacular feat of modern
architecture.

-Experience the thriving Beijing art scene in 798 Space, a
notable gallery in the city's famous art district. Read more about
China attractions.

What to do in Beijing

-Hire a pedal boat and relax on the majestic waters of Beihai
Park.

-Experience the beauty of Chinese culture in the Summer Palace.
-Take a tour of the cryptic reminder of cold-war fears that is The
Underground City.

-Learn about the diversity of aquatic life at the Beijing
Aquarium.

-Travellers can learn about early humans and see the remains of
the famous 'Peking Man' at the Zhoukoudian Cave, just south of the
city.

Beyond Beijing

Despite its size, travelling within China is relatively simple.
This is especially the case from its capital city, as there are
many frequent buses, trains, and flights going to all corners of
the country. From Beijing, travellers may enjoy meandering down to
Xi'an, resting place of the remarkable Terracotta Army, or to
Chengdu, home of the world's largest Panda Breeding and Research
Center.

Getting there

All international flights to the city will land in Beijing City
International Airport, located 17 miles (28 km) north of the city.
From the airport, visitors can either take a taxi, shuttle service,
or express train to the heart of the city and beyond. Beijing's
extensive public transport system, while generally crowded, is
reliable; visitors should not experience much difficulty navigating
and reaching their destination.

Did you know?

-Despite being called the 'kingdom of bicycles', the number of
cyclists in Beijing has more than halved in the past 15 years; this
is largely a result of the city's growing middle-class, who
consider owning a car to be a greater status symbol.

-Beijing's signature dish, Peking Duck, is a carefully prepared
delicacy that has been around since the imperial era and is a
favourite of Henry Kissinger.

-Beijing's subway is the fifth busiest in the world, with more
than 1.8 million passengers each year.

Beijing is the perfect destination for travellers to
immerse themselves in a city that colourfully blends ancient
culture with modern bustle.

The capital of the People's Republic of China, Beijing (formerly
Peking), is a very modern and exceedingly busy city (over 19
million people call it home) with high-rise buildings,
international hotels, and sprawling suburbs. The city is abuzz with
cranes on the skyline as construction projects give rise to new
skyscrapers and modernisation proceeds apace. However, Beijing also
encompasses numerous attractions of cultural and historical
interest, some of which, including the Great Wall of China, the
former Imperial Palace (known as the Forbidden City), the Temple of
Heaven, the Summer Palace, and the remains of Peking Man at
Zhoukoudian, are UNESCO-endorsed World Heritage Sites. Chinese
history and culture fascinates Western visitors, and Beijing is a
great place to start exploring it. The city abounds in palaces,
temples, mansions, gardens, and tombs that epitomise classical
Chinese architecture. It also has roughly 120 museums and more than
100 public gardens.

The first port of call for most visitors is the Forbidden City,
which lies at the heart of Beijing with the rest of the city
radiating out from it in a grid pattern. For five centuries this
massive palace complex, with 9,999 rooms, functioned as the
administrative centre of the country and home to a succession of
emperors who lived in luxurious isolation, surrounded by courtiers
and retainers. The Palace overlooks the infamous Tiananmen Square,
the historical site of considerable political drama and
dissent.

In preparing to host what they hoped to be 'the best games in
Olympic history', Beijing undertook many major renovations in 2008.
Public transport was improved, environmental issues addressed and a
general clean up of the city was ordered. The Chinese saw the games
highlight its economic rise and emergence as a world power. Some of
the infrastructure, such as the iconic 'Birds Nest' stadium, is
still in use for different purposes, and contributes to Beijing's
unique landscape. Unfortunately, the Beijing environment is still
considerably lacking, and the air quality has been particularly
hazardous in recent years. Nevertheless, the historic city still
has plenty to offer enthusiastic travellers of all ages.

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